Luna and luna holder



Feb.- 7, 1967 E. s. BUCHKO LUNA AND LUNA HOLDER Filed Jan. 6, 1965 a/btwmays United States Patent poration of Connecticut Filed Jan. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 423,751 Claims. (Cl. 31233) This invention relates to luna holders and in particular to a novel combination of luna and luna holder.

A luna, as will be recognized, is used for certain religious ceremonies to contain the Eucharist or Host. During a major portion of the ceremonies the luna is contained in a monstrance -or ostensorium. As a part of the ceremonials the luna is also transferred to a tabernacle. For purposes of transfer between an ostensorium and tabernacle, the luna is contained in a luna holder also sometimes called a lunette. This holder or lunette confines the luna and in most forms of holder the Host remains exposed to view while in the holder.

In the present invention the improvements made are in the luna support or mounting structure in combination with the structure which is to contain it whether the same be in an ostensorium, a lunette, or other holding device. As used herein the term luna holder is therefore intended to include all such holding structures.

Prior lunas and luna holders have generally incorporated some fastening means and other appurtenances requiring manipulation or accurate and careful handling of one sort or another in the disposition of the luna during the transfer and/or its placement in a holder.

It is a primary object of this invention to construct a luna which requires a minimum of manipulation during all phases of use. To this end the luna is constructed so that the container or vessel for the Host itself is a simple hinged watch case type of vessel with a snap catch to fasten the same, and the supporting or mounting structure of the luna is related to the holder structure so that the vessel or case may be readily and easily lowered into position without the need for any detailed attention to obtain a correctly assembled position.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention as exemplified by" the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an ostensorium or monstrance having a luna holder constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a luna holder or lunette also embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of the holder of FIG. 2 with luna in assembled position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the luna shown in section by FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the holder of FIGS. 2 and 3 with the luna removed; and

FIG. 6 is a detailed sectional view on line 66 of FIG. 3.

The ostensorium or monstrance 1 shown by FIG. 1 and the luna holder or lunette 3 shown by FIG. 2 are each constructed with a holding receptacle designated generally by the numeral 2 for containing the luna 4 (shown separately by FIG. 4). The ostensorium receptacle is mounted together with symbolic members on a relatively tall pedestal 6 on a base 8 while the receptacle of the holder is on a short pedestal 10 with base 12. Otherwise the recptacles 2 per se may for all practical purposes be identical. As above mentioned the luna 4 is carried in the ostensorium chamber during the major portion of certain religious ceremonies and in the chamber of a holder during transfer of the luna between the ostensorium and a tabernacle. The term holder as used hereafter in the description is intended to include the 3,302,989 Patented Feb. 7, 1967 "ice receptacle for the luna whether associated with the ostensorium or holder.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the body of the holder is tubular or cylindrical in form having a cylindrical wall 14 and end walls 15 and 16. Circular openings are provided in the end walls in which transparent windows 18 are fitted for viewing the chamber-interior from each end.

As more clearly see from FIG. 6, the rear end wall at 16 is conveniently formed by a cupped flange at that end of wall 14, and front wall 15 is formed by a cupped flange or a cap member 20 which is slipped over the front end of wall 14. Cap 20- also has a flanged ring piece 22 suitably fastened as by screws 26 (see FIG. 2), to an annular ring 24 which is Welded around its inside edge to the wall 14.

As may also be seen from FIG. 6, front window 18 is held in place against an offset annular flange 27 of wall 15 by a plurality of clips as at 28 welded to the inside face of the front wall. Likewise the rear window 18 is held against an annular flange 30 of an annular piece 32 which is welded against the rear surface of wall 16. Clips as at 34 hold the inside edge of window 18 against the flange 30.

The cylindrical chamber of the holder is accessible through a slotted opening 36 in the top center portion of wall 14 (FIGS. 3, 5). The opening 36, rectangular in outline, extends transversely of the wall and provides access for mounting luna .4 immediately behind the decorative ring 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the luna comprises a case and support structure for positioning the case in centrally disposed position within the holder chamber. The case comprises a pair of hinged crystal members 40 and 42 for receiving the Eucharist or Host between them. These members are pivotally joined by a hinge connection at 44, member 40 having a snap catch oppo site the hinge as at 46 for releasably engaging the rim of member 42. Members 40 and 42 are provided with annular crystal rim settings 48 and 50 which engage the crystals, the member 40 in closed position nesting within the edge of rim 50 as will be more clearly apparent in FIG. 6. As also shown by FIG. 6, rim 50 is joined to the support structure by a connecting piece 52 extending radially from an arched support plate 54. The end edges of the piece 52 are fixed as by welding t-o rim 50 and to the underside of the plate 54. The end edge portion of piece 52 adjacent rim setting 48 of crystal 40 is cut back at 56 to provide clearance for swinging movement of crystal 40 relative to crystal 42.

As more particularly seen from FIG. 3, the connecting pieces 52 are fastened to the underside of the plate 54 adjacent each end thereof and in this seated position of the luna on the holder the pieces abut opposite ends of the slotted opening 36. As here shown and also as indicated in FIG. 5 by the phantom outline of the arched plate 54, the edges of the plate overlap the edges of the opening, the plate (FIG. 3) conforming to the curvature of the cylndrical wall 14. It will also 'be noted from FIG. 6 that the side edges of the connecting pieces 52 at the underside of the plate 54 are equal in dimension to the width of the slot 36 and extending therefrom are convergently related in the direction of the case.

A handle 6% in the form of a cross is fastened at the top of the arched plate 54. Thus the luna may readily be lowered into place or lifted from the holder. It will be appreciated, especially in lowering the luna through the opening and into mounted position as in FIG. 3, that the radially directed pieces 52 will assist in guiding the luna into its seated position. The contact of either piece 52 against an end of the opening 36 will serve by its radial surface to shift the luna toward a centered" position transversely of the cylinder. Furthermore, con tact of the convergent side edges of the piece will assist the shifting of the luna into correct longitudinal positioning. Thus, the mere act of inserting the luna case through the opening and into the chamber will result in a guided interengagement of parts and the luna to find its way to a correctly mounted position. Thus no extreme accuracy of placement or excessive manipulation is required for centering the case. It may be exposed to view through the Windows of the holder Without fear of miscalculation and with no parts capable of becoming disarranged.

What is claimed is: 1. In combination, a luna and a holder for said luna, said holder comprising walls defining a luna chamber,

one of said Walls having a portion providing a slotted access opening to the interior of the chamber, said luna comprising a case for containing a Host and a support member connected to said case, said case being insertable through the access opening of said one chamber wall, and said support member and said slotted wall portion having interengaging means for mounting said support member in seated position on said chamber Wall and said case centrally disposed in the interior of said chamber. 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said one chamber wall is at the top of the chamber and said support in seated position thereon holds said case suspended in the chamber. 3. The combination of claim 2 in which said chamber walls define a horizontally disposed cylindrical receptacle, the access opening is a transversely disposed slot in the cylindrical Wall thereof; and said support member includes an arched plate conforming to the curvature of said cylindrical Wall with the edges thereof overlapping the edges of said opensaid support member and case having connecting members for extending through said opening adjacent opposite ends thereof and abutting said ends in seated position.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the access opening is rectangular in outline,

the connecting members at each end of said arched plate have outer surfaces disposed radially of the center of curvature of the support member, and

said case is circular in outline.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said connecting members are radially disposed fiat pieces each fixed at one end edge to the underside of said arched support plate and at said underside are of a width equal to the width of said slotted access opening,

the other ends of said pieces are fixed to the peripheral edge of the case, and

the side edges of said plates are convergently related in the direction of said other ends,

said connecting members, on insertion of the case into said chamber, serving on contact with the edges of the opening to cam said luna into its said seated position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,180 1/1907 Rauwald 3 l233 2,981,404 4/1961 Carrico 20619 3,125,384 3/1964 Bauer 312-33 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A LUNA AND A HOLDER FOR SAID LUNA, SAID HOLDER COMPRISING WALLS DEFINING A LUNA CHAMBER, ONE OF SAID WALLS HAVING A PORTION PROVIDING A SLOTTED ACCESS OPENING TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER, SAID LUNA COMPRISING A CASE FOR CONTAINING A HOST AND A SUPPORT MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID CASE, SAID CASE BEING INSERTABLE THROUGH THE ACCESS OPENING OF SAID ONE CHAMBER WALL, AND 